In Seattle, Washington, state workers have lost their jobs because they refused to pay union dues. According to a labor agreement between Washington state and the Washington Federation of State Employees, the union can collect dues from employees who are not only members, but also from those who choose not to join the union.
The WFSE compiled a list of nearly 800 state employees and sent their names to the state Labor Relations Office. The office, in turn, told agency employees that they would be fired sometime after Christmas if they didn’t pay their dues.
The effort to enforce the union security clause began in November, when the WFSE sent the names of 799 non-compliant employees to the state Labor Relations Office. The office advised the agencies employing those workers to tell them they would be fired after Christmas if they didn’t pay their dues or fees.
While most of those employees grudgingly paid the dues and are appealing the decision, nearly 300 have simply refused to pay the dues.
This is another example of unions making sweetheart deals that give them the kinds of power that workers are loath to accept. If unions are given a free hand to do what they want, they will exercise their power very much as autocrats.
